Vanderbilt AD will consult former Commodores coach to find replacement for Kevin Stallings

The search is on for a new Vanderbilt men’s basketball coach after Kevin Stallings departed for Pittsburgh after 17 seasons in Nashville. Vanderbilt athletics director David Williams is turning to a familiar name to assist him in the pursuit of a new coach.

Williams has enlisted Fogler Consulting, which is led by former Commodores coach Eddie Fogler, to help with the process of finding a new coach.

“(Fogler) understands Vanderbilt. I have been on the phone with Eddie three times today, and he’s already hard at work for us,” Williams said in a press conference Monday, according to The Tennessean‘s Adam Sparks. “We will do a search in effective time. I never like to put speed ahead of quality.”

Fogler coached Vanderbilt for four seasons and guided the Commodores to their last regular-season SEC title in 1993. Fogler started his consulting firm in 2006 after 30 years as a Division I coach, with 15 of those leading his own program

Williams and Vanderbilt Chancellor Nicholas Zeppos will have final say on the next coach, and the position has drawn a lot of interest from prospective candidates. Williams said that about 100-125 people have inquired about the opening.

Stallings, who was introduced as Pittsburgh’s head coach Monday, won the most games (332) in program history.

“Kevin Stallings put in 17 years here and that should not be forgotten and won’t be forgotten,” Williams told reporters.

“You always have a sense of sadness when you see someone that’s part of your family leave. However, I do see the business part of this. We will go on and we’ll find a good basketball coach.”